A league that has produced the likes of Mario Mandzukic and Luka Modric in recent times, the Croatian First Division, or the Prva HNL as it is known for sponsorship reasons is one of the most exciting leagues in Eastern Europe, boasting of a strong local match-going fanbase that always creates a vibrant atmosphere during games.
The league officially began in 1992 following the dissolution of the Yugoslav First League and it has since undergone many structural changes, but all in all, it has grown into a great competitive league.
The Prva HNL has proven to be a great league for exposure as quality players in the league tend to get scouted by big European clubs.
Most of the time teams in the Croatian First Division opt to sell their bright young talents due to the hefty transfer fees they command as seen with the sales of Mario Mandzukic and Mateo Kovakic a couple of seasons ago — doing so helps to sustain the day-to-day running of a lot of the clubs in the Prva HNL, it also allows them to acquire the services of quality players.
The System
The Prva HNL season begins in July and ends in May — it is contested by 10 teams all of which face each other one four occasions, twice at home and twice away thus resulting in a total of 36 games played per team.
The league champions, which in recent season has been Dinamo Zagreb, secures automatic qualification into the UEFA Champions League whilst the teams placed 2nd-4th on the table qualify for the Europa League, however, their rank on the table determines the stage of the Europa League they will qualify for.
For instance, in the 2018/19 season, Rijeka, Osijek and Hajduk Split came in 2nd, 3rd, and 4th (respectively) on the table and as such Rijeka secured qualification to the Europa League’s 3rd qualifying round, Osijek made it into the 2nd qualifying round and Hajduk Split will have to contest in the 1st qualifying round because of their 4th place finish.
At the end of each season, the 10th-placed team gets automatically relegated to the second division whilst the 9th-placed team qualifies for the relegation play-offs against the runners up of the second division — both clubs will go head-to-head for a chance to be part of the Prva HNL.
Rules
Croatian First Division teams can register a maximum of 6 players who have been signed on loan for a season. There is, however, no set limit on the number of foreigners a club can sign.
Regardless of the amount of foreign players acquired during the transfer window, Croatian teams are only allowed to field a maximum of 6 non-EU players in a matchday squad according to the Prva HNL’s stringent rules.
Financials;
Average Salary
Prva HNL players earn an average of €45,000 per year.
Value of Teams
The 10 teams in the 1. HNL have a total market value of €246mio.
Most Valuable Player
Valued at €16m, Dinamo Zagreb’s Josko Gvardiol is currently the most valuable player in the Croatian First Division.
Overview
Country: Croatia
Confederation: UEFA
Founded: 1992
Number of teams: 10
Domestic cup: Croatian Football Cup, Croatian Super Cup
International Cup: UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League
Level on the pyramid: 1
Transfer window: Jan18 — Feb 15, June 15 — August 31
Number of Players: 294
Number of Foreign Players: 133
Percentage of Foreign Players: 45,2%
Most Championships: Dinamo Zagreb (21 championships)
Average Attendance: 3,905
Teams;
● Dinamo Zagreb (http://gnkdinamo.hr)
● Hajduk Split (http://www.hajduk.hr)
● HNK Gorica (www.hnk-gorica.hr/)
● HNK Rijeka (http://www.nk-rijeka.hr/)
● HNK Sibenik (https://hnk-sibenik.hr/)
● Istra 1961 Pula (www.nkistra1961.hr/)
● Lokomotiva Zagreb (www.nklokomotiva.hr)
● NK Osijek (www.nk-osijek.hr)
● NK Varaždin (http://www.nk-varteks.com/)
● Slaven Belupo Koprivnica (www.nk-slaven-belupo.hr)
Famous Player to have played in the 1.HNL: Juventus Mario Mandzukic made a name for himself in Dinamo Zagreb before getting a chance to prove himself elsewhere in Europe.
Fieldoo’s Opinion; The Croatian First Division is an incredible professional league where you’d get to show a relatively large audience what you’re capable of as a footballer.
